99 C2 aftermarket stereo wiring to amp

[p0rsch3]

I have a friend with a 99 C2, non bose. Installed a pioneer head unit and hooked up to factory amp / speakers. sound is horrible!

Should it be wired RCA-level or speaker-level from the pioneer to the factory amp? both ways sound bad, static, etc.

The pioneer head unit is a new one with 5v pre-out on the rca lines. Best we can get is with the RCA output hooked up to the factory amp, but haveto turn volume all the way up to get reasonable output and even then it is staticy.

amp does tun on, all wiring seems right.

Thoughts?

Edited April 5, 2008 by p0rsch3

[RotorHead]

I have a friend with a 99 C2, non bose. Installed a pioneer head unit and hooked up to factory amp / speakers. sound is horrible!

Should it be wired RCA-level or speaker-level from the pioneer to the factory amp? both ways sound bad, static, etc.

The pioneer head unit is a new one with 5v pre-out on the rca lines. Best we can get is with the RCA output hooked up to the factory amp, but haveto turn volume all the way up to get reasonable output and even then it is staticy.

amp does tun on, all wiring seems right.

Thoughts?

How is it wired when you use the RCA pre-outs? What are you doing with the "negative" side of the RCA lines?

[p0rsch3]

I have a friend with a 99 C2, non bose. Installed a pioneer head unit and hooked up to factory amp / speakers. sound is horrible!

Should it be wired RCA-level or speaker-level from the pioneer to the factory amp? both ways sound bad, static, etc.

The pioneer head unit is a new one with 5v pre-out on the rca lines. Best we can get is with the RCA output hooked up to the factory amp, but haveto turn volume all the way up to get reasonable output and even then it is staticy.

amp does tun on, all wiring seems right.

Thoughts?

How is it wired when you use the RCA pre-outs? What are you doing with the "negative" side of the RCA lines?

hooking pos / neg of the RCA outputs to pos / neg input wires to the factory amp.

[RotorHead]

You are probably having an issue with input leveling. The 5V pre-out your deck has is probably too much for the stock Haes amp. IMHO, you probably only have two options:

1) Use a line-leveler for your speaker outputs into the amp...or...probably a better option

2) Replace the useless factory amp.

Granted, you'll need cross-overs for the factory speakers or buy a six-channel amp with cross-overs built in. Beyond that, things get a little more complicated and therefore, expensive.

I was able to replace all four front speaker assemblies with MB Quart and Focal speakers, build a custom subwoofer enclosure that houses a JL Audio 10W3, install a decent Alpine HU and a nice used 5-channel JL Audio amp to drive the fronts/sub while my HU drives the rears within my wife's budjet of $1500.

If you want to try and "piece" the system together, most people here recommend replacing the speakers first, amp second and finally the HU. It appears as though your buddy might be trying the very opposite.

Hope this helps!

Rotor

[p0rsch3]

You are probably having an issue with input leveling. The 5V pre-out your deck has is probably too much for the stock Haes amp. IMHO, you probably only have two options:

1) Use a line-leveler for your speaker outputs into the amp...or...probably a better option

2) Replace the useless factory amp.

Granted, you'll need cross-overs for the factory speakers or buy a six-channel amp with cross-overs built in. Beyond that, things get a little more complicated and therefore, expensive.

I was able to replace all four front speaker assemblies with MB Quart and Focal speakers, build a custom subwoofer enclosure that houses a JL Audio 10W3, install a decent Alpine HU and a nice used 5-channel JL Audio amp to drive the fronts/sub while my HU drives the rears within my wife's budjet of $1500.

If you want to try and "piece" the system together, most people here recommend replacing the speakers first, amp second and finally the HU. It appears as though your buddy might be trying the very opposite.

Hope this helps!

Rotor

Thanks for the info- very much appreciated!